High school and college

Zeid was a pitcher for the Hornets at Hamden Hall Country Day School (2005), where he had 400 strikeouts, a school record.[5][9] In addition to pitching, he played first base, shortstop, and center field.[10] He played for the gold-medal-winning Team USA Youth National Team in 2003, and was an AFLAC All American in 2004.[4]

In his junior and senior years he led his high school team to two straight New England Championships, and a record of 54–15.[10][5] In his junior year in 2004, he struck out 68 batters in 42 innings and had a 1.66 ERA, while batting .412.[11] In his senior year, he struck out 130 batters in 65.0 innings and batted .450, and was team captain.[10][4][5] That year, he was the Gatorade Connecticut High School Player of the Year, Baseball America ranked him the country's 27th-best prospect, and he was a Louisville Slugger, National High School Baseball Coaches Association, Collegiate Baseball, and Street & Smith All American.[10][4][5] He played for the Long Island Titans in the summer of his senior year. They finished 43–5.[4] He earned two varsity letters in basketball.[4]

Going into 2012, he was ranked #19 in the Astros system by baseball writer Jonathan Mayo, for his "plus fastball" and "nasty slider."[18] In 2012, he pitched as a reliever for an entire season for the first time, pitching in 47 games for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks, and striking out 66 batters in 56.1 innings.[12]

In March 2013, Zeid was looking to add a third pitch to his fastball and slider.[3] In 2013, he threw a 95–97 mph fastball, and a hard slider.[8] Only the top 15 percent of major league pitchers throw a 95 mph fastball.[1]

He pitched as the closer for the AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks in 2013, with a 4–1 record, 13 saves in 15 save opportunities (tied for the club lead), and 3.50 ERA over 43 games, as he struck out 53 batters in 43.2 innings.[8][19][20]

Major leagues

Houston Astros

Zeid was called up to the majors for the first time on July 29, 2013.[21] In 25 relief appearances he stranded 15 of 17 inherited runners, and held lefties to a .178 batting average.[20] He ended 2013 with a 0–1 record and a 3.90 ERA in 272⁄3 innings pitched.

He made 23 appearances in 2014, recording a 6.97 ERA before suffering from sesamoiditis and being shut down in July for foot surgery known as sesamoidectomy. He underwent the procedure to both feet, with the second foot surgery, to his left foot, taking place in October 2014.[22][23][24][25] He was expected to recover three months following his surgery.[24]

Pitching for Houston, according to Fangraphs, Zeid threw about 60% fastballs with an average velocity of 94.3 mph, in addition to sliders and an occasional changeup.[26]